BREAKING NEWS: Company found guilty of Durrington crane collapse failings

By The Newsroom
Published 27th Mar 2009, 17:33 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2018, 00:49 BST
A COMPANY has been found guilty of health and safety offences relating to a 2005 crane collapse at a Durrington school in which two men died.

W D Bennett Plant and Services Ltd, based in Gloucestershire, was today found guilty of two offences after a two-week trial at Chichester Crown Court.

Eurolift, which is owned by Bennetts, pleaded guilty before the trial started to two offences under health and safety legislation.

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During the trial, Nigel Lithman QC, prosecuting, told the court how crane driver David Smith, 57, incorrectly loosened bolts on a crane being dismantled on the site at Durrington High School on

February 11, 2005.

The crane subsequently collapsed, killing Mr Smith's colleagues; Gary Miles, 37, and Stephen Boatman, 45, both from Reading.